354 



SrSTEMA TIC SYXOPSIS. — PASSERES — OSCINES. 



Upper Missouri, N. to the Yukou, S. iu winter to Costa Rica. Breeds throughout its rauge, 

 and winters extraliuiital. A lovely species. 



CALLICHELI'DON. (Gr. koXXi-, kalli-, usual combining form of koXos, kalos, beautiful: 

 XeXtSwj/, cJielidon, a swallow.) Blue-green Swallows. Resembling Tackycineta, espe- 

 cially that section of the genus in which the upper parts are not iridescent, though versicolor- 

 ous; tarsus rather longer, exceeding middle toe without claw; points of folded wings reacliing 

 about to end of tail, which is forked for about 1.00. One species, a straggler from the 

 Bahamas. 



C. cyaneovir'idis. (Lat. cyaneus, blue; viridis, green.) Bahaman Swallow. Adult ^ : 

 Upper parts beautiful soft velvety green with golden gleam but without sheen, gradually 

 changing to bluish-greeu or violet on wings and tail. Entire under parts pure white, 

 this color extending upon sides of head to include auriculars ; feathers of chin and throat 

 snowy to the very base. Adult 9 : Similar, but the white somewhat soiled with grayish 

 on sides of head, body, and lining of the wings. Length 5.75; wing 4.50; tail 3.00, 

 forked nearly or quite 1.00; tarsus 0.50. Baliamas, casually on the Dry Tortugas and 

 at Tarpon Springs, Florida. A lovely species, first described as Hirundo cyaneoviridis 

 by Dr. H. Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc N. H., vii, 1859, p. Ill, from the Bahamas, type 

 No. 11946, Mus. Smiths. Inst.; Hirundo (Ccdlichelidon) cyaneoviridis Baird, Rev. Am. B., 

 i, 1865, p. 30.'?; Callichelidon cyaneoviridis Bryant MS., ibid.; not in previous eds. of 

 the Key; not in A. O. U. List, 1886; first added to our fauna by W. E. D. Scott ; see 

 Auk, July, 1890, p. 265, and Oct. 1890, p. 303, specimen taken Apr. 9, 1890; Brewst., 

 Auk, Apr. 1897, p. 221, Tarpon Springs, Sept. 3, 1890; A. O. U. List, 2d ed., 1895, p. 259, 

 No. [615. 1]. 



PETKOCHELI'DON. (Gr. TreVpa, petra, a rock ; ;(6XtScoi', chelidon, a swallow. Fig. 210.) 

 Cliff Swallows. Bill stout and deep (for this family) ; nostrils superior, opening with- 

 out nasal scale. Tail unusually short, 

 the tips of the folded wings reaching 

 beyond it, about even, or only slightly 

 emarginate, with the feathers broad to 

 their ends. Feet much as in Hirundo ; 

 ^^^^^^^^—^^g^— t^i'si feathered above; toes extensively 



I , ^^^^^^^^^^l^^^k. adherent at base. A bristly appearance 



of front and chin, different from what is 

 seen in other groups. The tuft of crissal 

 feathers is full, reaching nearly to end 

 of tail. The species agree well in a 

 special pattern of coloration, being 

 steel-blue above, with rufous rump 



and nuchal band, and usually a front- 



^*«/% [j"'^ A-p^'"'^5' ^^ let of difi'erent color from the rest of 



the upper parts ; under ])arts not con- 

 FiG. 210. - cuff Swallow. tiuuously white as iu Tachycineta and 



Callichelidon. Nidification peculiar; eggs colored. Sexes alike. 



P. lu'nifrons. (Lat. luna, the moon, or a crescent; frons, forehead. Fig. 211.) Cliff 

 Swallow. Eaves Swallow. Crescent Savallow. Mud Swallow. Adult ^ 9 '■ 

 Back and top of head, with spot on throat, deep lustrous steel-blue, that of crown and back 

 separated by a grayish nuchal collar. Fi-ontlet white or brownish-white. Shorter upper tail- 

 coverts rufous. Chin, throat, and sides of head intense rufous, sometimes purplish-chestnut, 

 prolonged around side of nape. Under parts dull grayish-brown, with usually a rufous tinge 

 (rusty-gray), and dusky sliafr-lines, whitening on belly ; under tail-coverts gray, wliitish- 



